What's In A Name
by tattoohero
Summary: Set two weeks after "A Family Vacation" and deals with Shepard and Liara picking out another baby name. It's a one-shot.


A/N: This is set after two weeks after "A Family Vacation".

**What's In A Name**

Elysium

Commander Leia Shepard returns home after dropping her two kids off at school to find Liara unpacking boxes full of books in the study. Since the family's move, they are slowly getting their new home set up in a way that pleases Dr. T'Soni. Liara is pregnant with their third child and this pregnancy is harder on her than the other two. She is moody, tired, and at times hard to live with. Leia is dealing with it the best she can. Dr. Chakwas has ordered Liara not work until the baby is born. Which means, Liara is home more and at times drives Shepard crazy.

Leia stands in the doorway of the study watching Liara unpack a box full of books. The information broker is putting the books on the built-in shelves in the study. T'Soni is taking her time and not going to fast or picking up more than one at a time. She knows Shepard doesn't want her doing anything, but not doing anything is making her a very bored asari.

"Liara, what are you doing? I said I would take care of the house. Please let me," comments the Commander from the doorway.

T'Soni spins around in the chair to face Leia, "I'm bored. I need to do something constructive. You and the girls doing all the work isn't fair to any of you. I need to help as well."

Sighing in defeat and shaking her head at her bondmate. Shepard knows Liara is getting bored. T'Soni is use to doing and not letting others do for her. "I know you're bored, Liara. The extranet is up, why don't you goof around on that, while I put the books away." Leia takes the book from Liara's hand and places it on the shelf next to the others.

Liara thinks about that for a bit before responding, "I suppose I could look up some baby names. Unless you have some picked out already."

"No, I'm all out of names. The only ones you've like we've used already. If you have any names picked out I would love to hear them," comments Shepard as she continues to put books on the shelf. She is hoping Liara doesn't want them in a certain order because she is just putting them on the shelf randomly.

"Well, I was thinking of the name Randa," says Dr. T'Soni.

The name sends a slight chill down Leia's spine. It sounds too much like Miranda to her. "Randa? It reminds me of Miranda. I'm not sure if I want one of our kids named after her, Liara. I'd rather name her Panda," replies Shepard with complete snark in her tone.

Liara gives Shepard a look with her eyebrows furrow close together, "Shepard, you wouldn't be here now if it wasn't for Miranda. Never mind then," replies Liara T'Soni as she leaves the room and walks into the living room and lies on the couch. The asari turns on a vid to watch.

Leia mumbles to herself as she drops the book in her hand back into the box, "Damn it, T'Soni." Shepard sits in the now vacate chair and rubs her temples. The last thing she wants is an argument with Liara. Leia does not want or need a daily reminder of Cerberus, Miranda, or that she died in 2183. She wonders why Liara wants to name their child after someone they never fully trusted. Mumbling again, "I punched that bitch in the face. Then kicked her ass off the Normandy. What the hell, T'Soni? You where there when I hit her." Thinking about that time is causing Shepard to start to shake with frustration.

She places both hand on her face with her fingers covering her eyes thinking. Is there some type of compromise with the name? Because Shepard is thinking Liara is going to dig her heels in and not budge on this. Turning around in the chair to turn the computer terminal on, Shepard starts looking for some type of compromise with Liara.

Dr. T'Soni is thinking while watching the vid. It's a nice name, Leia. I know it sounds like Miranda, but she did bring you back to me. And I think we owe Miranda that much. To name one of our children after her. Liara turns the vid off and walks back into the study to talk to Leia. "I think we owe Miranda enough to name one of our children after her."

Leia turns around quickly and gives Liara a dirty look. This is too much for Shepard to handle right now. "No, I don't want any of our kids named after her. Did it ever occur to you how it would make me feel? I don't need a daily reminder I died, T'Soni." Shepard balls up her hands in frustration and smacks the desk. "NO!" The human leaves the room before she says something stupid to Liara.

Liara follows Shepard as she leaves the study and heads to their bedroom to lie down but ends up sitting on the bed instead. "I like the name, Shepard. You told me to pick a name and that's the name I pick." T'Soni isn't hearing the reason Shepard is not wanting to name their baby, Randa.

"Listen to me T'Soni. I fucking died. It caused me to have breakdown that I had to leave the Alliance early because I couldn't handle being on the Normandy. You know this and yet you want to name our baby after the person I never fully trusted and punched in the face right in front of you!" yells Shepard. She is doing exactly what she doesn't want to do. Argue with Liara.

"I watched you die, remember? She brought you back to me, Shepard. I think we can honor her with naming our baby, Randa." replies Liara in a raised voice. Liara isn't thinking clearly because if she puts more thought into this name, she would know how Shepard would react to it.

Shepard smacks herself in the forehead hard, leaving a mark. "My God, T'Soni. Listen to yourself. You didn't trust her anymore than I did. Miranda along with Cerberus used us both to get what they wanted. Cerberus went after you and destroyed the base on Hagalaz. Even though you had already joined me on the Normandy. The only reason she helped with Cerberus is because she needed my help with her sister, Oriana. Hell will freeze over before I agree with it, T'Soni." Leia is getting extremely frustrated that it is causing her face to get red with tears run down her cheek.

Finally, realizing what she is doing to her bondmate, Liara gives pause to ponder more about the name. Dr. T'Soni sits down next to Shepard, but doesn't say anything. She tries to take Leia's hand but Leia pulls it away. That action causes Liara to come to her senses. Shepard has never once balked at her when she shows affection. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. I never thought how it would make you feel. You're right, I never did trust her and she did use us both. I still think it's a pretty name."

"I agree it is a pretty name, but one I can't handle naming our baby. I'd rather name her after your mother than Miranda," comments Leia. She has more to say, but is biting her tongue. Shepard does not want to fight or argue about this. With tears still streaming down her face, Leia turns to face Liara and says, "I love you, Liara. I feel like you punched me in the gut with this. I don't want to fight or argue with you over a name."

T'Soni takes Shepard into her arms and this time Shepard lets her. The human wraps her arms around the asari. As Liara rubs on Shepard's back, she says, "I love you too, Leia Shepard. I'm sorry and I don't want to fight with you either. I don't want to name her after my mother." Tears start rolling down Liara's cheek because she knows how much she has hurt her love.

For the next few minutes they hold each other and cry. Shepard tears are from frustration, anger mixed in with hurt, while Liara's are from guilt of hurting Leia. Commander Shepard pulls away from their embrace and says, "How about this name? Olivia? I know it sounds more human than Kaja or Gaia."

"How do you keep coming up with these beautiful names, Leia?" asks Liara as she wipes the tears from her face then Shepard's.

Commander Shepard shrugs her shoulders, "It just came to me. I don't know. A gift?" The human gives T'Soni a grin that slowly turns into a smirk.

"Olivia it is then. We can call her Liv, if that is okay with you," says Liara before she leans to kiss Leia's lips softly.

Their kiss slowly grows in intensity, they lie back on the bed after they break from their kiss. Liara places her head on Shepard's shoulder. Shepard rubs on Liara's torso and feels the baby kicking. "Liara, she's a very active baby. I think she likes her name. Like your name, Olivia?" Shepard feels the baby kick again.

"Yes, I think so. Again, Leia, I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking, because now the more I think about it. The more I think I've lost my mind," comments Liara as a few more tears escape down her cheeks.

Shepard pulls the pregnant asari in tighter against her body as physically possible. "It's okay, Liara. I overreacted a tad bit. I'm sorry too. I don't want to fight or argue with you about anything. Especially, when it comes to our kids." Leia wipes the tears from Liara's cheeks.

They lie together on the bed without saying for over an hour until Liara remembers her appointment with Dr. Chakwas. "Shit, Leia. I need for you to take me into town. I'm late and I know she'll be worried on why."

"How late are you, Liara?" asks Leia Shepard as she sits up and helps Liara to do the same.

"Forty-five minutes. Shit, it completely slipped my mind," responds T'Soni as she carefully stand up with Leia's help.

Before they leave to go to Chakwas' office, Liara sends a message to let the human medical doctor know she is on her way and is sorry. She will explain once she gets there. Shepard drives fast but carefully into the colony then merges with traffic and within a few minutes, she is dropping Liara off in front of the building. After parking their car, Shepard walks into the doctor's office to wait for Liara's appointment to end. She is content knowing they have a name picked out for their third child. She thinks what's in a name? Apparently everything. Some names bring out bad memories while others bring joy. Again she think what's in a name?

–

A/N: I have finished ME3. I'll probably be done with a second run sometime today or tomorrow. Depends on how late I stay up.

Everything I have done until this point is now fubar, but fear not. I am starting to work out stuff to make the ending make somewhat sense to me. Give me some time to get things worked out mentally and then down. I still have a few stories unpublished and I will be posting them before working on anything new.

Keep an eye out. Never know when I will be posting new work.


End file.
